100 Micro Moments
by BitOBonesFluff
Summary: This is a collection of shorts, 300 words or less (more often over 300) written as part of the Bonesology Micro Fiction Challenge. Each chapter title is from a list of situation/word prompts. They may or may not be canon, as that isn't part of the challenge and each chapter is a stand alone. Enjoy! Also posted on Bonesology.
1. Finger

**_Finger_**

"Christine! What did I just see you do?" Brennan yelled at her daughter from the kitchen.

Booth popped his head out of the bathroom door, half of his face covered with shaving cream. "What's all the yelling about?"

Brennan walked around the dining table and glanced towards Booth "I just saw your daughter stick up her middle finger at me!"

Booth stifled a chuckle as he walked towards her, wiping the shaving cream on a towel.

"This is not funny Booth. She just tossed a bird!" she said, making Booth burst out laughing.

"Flipped the bird Bones. She just flipped the bird." he said, defensively holding up both hands and trying to look serious. "and no. You're right it isn't funny. I'll go talk to her"

Booth walked outside, and went over to his daughter, squatted down and stared at her. "Christine. Mommy said she just saw you do a rude sign with your finger. Did you?" he asked.

Christine turned, eyes wide and brimming with tears "I hurt my finger Daddy. See?" she said, holding up the injured middle finger of her hand. "I tried to show Mommy but she didn't see me." her voice wavering slightly.

Booth clamped his mouth shut and turned to look at Brennan through the window. "She hurt her finger" he said, deliberately not quite loud enough for her to hear, holding up his middle finger. A huge grin broke across his face as he watched Brennan's mouth drop open.

"Come on baby. Daddy will fix it for you." he said kissing her finger and picking her up to carry her inside.

"Sore finger Mommy." Booth said as they walked past Brennan. He turned and looked back at Brennan winking as he carried Christine to the bathroom.

"Just a sore finger"


	2. Bad

"Oh no. No No NO!" Booth stood staring at the floor. Shards of blue, green and yellow that once were part of a five hundred year old urn lay at his feet.

"This is bad. Oh boy. This is so bad" he moaned.

Booth had been complaining about this urn on the coffee table for a week. Bones had brought it home from her recent trip to Egypt, where she had been invited to lecture at a conference. Whenever he lay on the sofa to watch TV he had to move it because it blocked his view.

"Damn stupid urn. I told her it was a bad place to put it." he muttered as he squatted down picking up the pieces one by one. "Maybe I could glue it back together? " he said, trying unsuccessfully to fit pieces together. There was no way he was going to be able to fix this.

He heard the lock on the door click and felt his stomach drop.

"Booth! You're home early. What's the matter?" she asked, noticing his pasty complexion. She then saw the pile of broken terracotta pieces on the coffee table.

"What have you done? Booth! My urn!" she cried.

"Bones. I'm so sorry. But I told you. I told you that it was a bad place to put it." he stammered. "I'll try to glue it back together." he continued trying to fit the two pieces together.

He felt sick. Five hundred years old. What was he thinking when he had tried to slide it across the table with his foot.

Suddenly she laughed. "I knew something like this would happen. It's a good thing it only cost me twenty dollars at the airport. The real one is being shipped to my office, where it will remain"


	3. Intelligence

Brennan held her breath for a moment before turning around to face Oliver Wells.

"I'm well aware of your habit of making wild assumptions about the modus operandi pertaining to injuries and cause of death." she said disdainfully.

It was no secret that Oliver Wells pushed almost all of Temperance Brennan's buttons.

"Hey Doc, if you can't take the heat" Oliver said smugly.

Brennan frowned "I don't know what that means. However, I do know that you take great pride in assumptions and guesses, when you should direct more of your mental capacity towards discovering clear and irrefutable evidence."

Oliver smirked and shrugged "I can't help it if my heightened intelligence intimidates you. If my ability to make uncannily correct educated assumptions or guesses prior to finding physical evidence is just too difficult for you to understand. Well, I apologise." He added a half bow, just to press another button.

"Intimidates me?" Brennan exclaimed, then laughed, pointing at him. "I can assure you that your level of intelligence is far from intimidating. Your sense of humour though is quite amusing. Now, if you don't mind Mr. Wells, I would appreciate it if you could get back to doing what you are actually paid to do."

Brennan turned her back and stormed out of the lab. _That man is completely infuriating_ she muttered to herself, completely frustrated by the fact that Oliver was completely correct.

"Hey Doc!" a voice behind her made her stop in her tracks. She rolled her eyes and turned around.

"You want to come take a look at my findings? I've found cause of death. Scientifically!" Oliver said, smiling.

"But, I only left you two minutes ago!" Brennan said.

"What can I say. Let's just put it down to my intelligence" he replied, tapping his forehead.


	4. Announce

"Everyone!" Brennan stood in the middle of the lab at the Jeffersonian.

"I would like to announce something!" she added, waving her hands towards the squints and lab assistants working.

Jessica and Wendell looked up from a stainless steel table covered with a half reconstructed skeleton.

"Mr Bray? Miss Warren? I'm waiting for you both" Brennan said.

"It's come to my attention that my" Brennan ran her hands self consciously over her hips "my changing physique is causing some talk amongst you." She looked around as some of the lab assistants shuffled on the spot.

"I have decided that it is time for me to announce that I am. Well, that Booth and I, are expecting a baby."

Jessica turned to Wendell and holding up a hand for a high five, exclaimed "Yeah! I told you!"

"As I was saying" Brennan said, staring down Jessica and Wendell "I am indeed gestating a new life, and as such, I will be scaling back my workload as it appears I am further along, than I originally believed."

Angela nudged Hodgins and hissed in his ear "I told you she was at least six months." Hodgins shushed her and turned to smile at Brennan who was looking in their direction.

He clapped enthusiastically "Congrats Doctor B! We're all happy for you and Booth, aren't we guys?" he said looking around at everyone, nodding his encouragement for everyone to clap.

Brennan nodded her head "Thankyou everyone for your attention. Now I believe we have a murder to solve? Back to work!" she waved the group away.

Angela was standing grinning at her like a Cheshire Cat.

"What?" Brennan said as she walked over to her.

"Nothing sweetie. Absolutely nothing." she said as she wrapped her arms around Brennan.

"Thankyou. That's enough Angela. Please. And don't tell me you told me so." Brennan stepping back.

Angela continued to grin, her big wide smile, at Brennan.

Brennan smiled back, "I know. You told me so." she admitted.

"Hell yeah I did" Angela laughed as she linked arms with Brennan and walked towards the sliding doors.


	5. Day

"Bones! Bones wake up!" Booth called to Brennan as he threw open the curtains on their bedroom window.

Brennan groaned and pulled a pillow over her face as the bright morning light hit her "Booth no!"

"Come on! It's a beautiful day! We should be up and out in all that sunshine!" he said, way too cheerily.

He bounded over to the bed and started bouncing up and down on her side of the mattress.

"Booth!" Brennan yelled and shoved at him, causing him to pitch forwards and land heavily on the floor.

"Oh my god Booth! I'm sorry!" she said as he began to moan.

"I think I broke my wrist" he managed to say as she rolled him over on to his back. One quick look at the angle of his hand confirmed his words.

Brennan felt the guilt and dismay rise up into her throat. "Booth, I'm so sorry. Just wait. I'll. I'll find something to splint it, and I'll take you to the hospital. I can't believe I did that." she ran from the room.

"Bones! No! I'm joking! Come back!" he called out after her.

Brennan came back into the room, her face white. "What? No! I saw your hand!" she said.

"Double jointed. See?" Booth bent his hand at an odd angle making Brennan flinch.

She lurched forwards punching him in the arm "How could you do that! I thought I'd broken your wrist!" she yelled.

"Aww come on Bones. We have a day off. Let's do something fun! Hey! We could go to that new trampoline park!" he gushed.

Brennan was horrified "You're kidding!" she said.

Booth grinned, "Of course I am. But I do feel like icecream." he said.

"Fine. Anything you want. Just nothing that involves bouncing." she said.


	6. Murder

**MURDER**

Brennan sat at the kitchen counter opposite Booth, watching him flip pancakes.

"So, two for you, and two for me! Maybe three for me" he said as he slid golden fluffy pancakes onto two plates. He grinned as he passed her breakfast to her.

"You really do make the best pancakes Booth. I don't understand why mine don't turn out like yours!" she said, poking at one of the cakes with her fork. Mine always turn out"

"Burnt, green, rubbery, weird tasting" Booth offered as he poured syrup all over his pancakes.

Brennan frowned at him "I was going to say unsatisfactory" she said. "But thank you for your critique"

Booth cut a large wedge of pancake with his fork and smiled as he shovelled it into his mouth, chewing loudly. A drip of syrup ran down his chin. "You're welcome".

"You have a little" Brennan waved a finger at him, then touched her own chin.

Booth shrugged and shook his head as he chewed.

"On your chin. Syrup" she offered, pointing at him again.

At that precise moment, their phones began to ring.

Brennan answered hers immediately with a brusque "Brennan"

Booth flipped open his phone and mumbled "Boorf", his mouth full of half chewed pancake.

They both listened for a moment, then hung up.

"We've got a murder!" they said in unison.

Booth crammed another mouthful of pancake into his mouth, then grabbed his coat. They walked to the door and Brennan reached out and slipped her finger up his chin collecting the dollop of syrup from his stubble.

She held it up for him to see "I told you, you had something on your chin" she said.

Booth grabbed her hand and licked her finger. "mmm, thanks!" he said, ushering her through the doorway.


	7. Sad

Angela sat on the floor of her office staring at a myriad of drawings. Each one, a face. Some were of men, some, women. Others were of children. All with the same expression.

Sad.

She sighed as she gently traced the features with her fingertips.

Hodgins stood in the doorway watching his wife. He cleared his throat. He knew how much she hated it when he crept up behind her.

"What's wrong Angie?" he walked up behind her, bending down and rested his hands on her shoulders.

"I think I'm done Jack" she said sadly. She didn't call him by his Christian name very often, so he knew she was serious. She held up one of her drawings for him to see. "Can you see? All of them. All of them so sad." She said.

Hodgins frowned, he hesitated, not sure what it was he was supposed to say "Well, yeah I guess."

"Don't you get it? That's my expression on their faces. I'm the one that's sad. These?" She held up a handful of pictures. "These are me." She dropped them back onto the floor and stood up, turning to face him. "I don't want to do this any more. I want to paint in colours. I want to draw smiling, happy faces. With a light in their eyes."

Hodgins smiled and kissed her "I guess you better go hand in your resignation then" and shrugged. "I don't want you to be unhappy Angie. Everyone will miss you, but hey, just think how happy Michael Vincent is going to be having Mommy home every day! And we can convert that shed out in the back yard into a work space for you!"

Angela smiled at him, watching his eyes sparkle. "You'd really be OK with that?"

"Absolutely." he replied.


	8. Plan

Booth stood at the edge of the pit. A blue handkerchief pressed over his nose and mouth. Aubrey was behind him, bent over at the waist, heaving up the remainder of his breakfast.

"Oh God, can you hurry up and just give me something? Booth said through clenched teeth.

Hodgins' head popped up from the pit, an overly cheerful grin on his face underneath a Perspex face protector. "Now, now. You know I can't rush this. I have to work to a **plan**. Doctor B wouldn't approve if I missed something. Like this, for example!" he held up a pair of tweezers that were gripping a brown bug. It wriggled and waved it's legs around, making Booth cringe. "Necrophila Americana. Also known as the American carrion beetle, a member of the family Silphidae. It lays its eggs in, and its larvae consume, raw flesh and fungi. Particularly, as we have here, rotting flesh. They love it so much." He added smiling at the beetle.

Aubrey staggered up next to Booth, his hand clamped over his mouth. "Are we done. This has to have been one of the worst ones I've. I. Oh. I" he turned and ran back towards the car, emptying his stomach again.

"You know what Hodgins? You're not normal. I'm going back to the lab. Ten to one, the vominator is going to want to stop to get something to eat on the way back." Booth said nodding his head in Aubreys direction.

Hodgins laughed and waved his rubber encased hand, ooze dripped from it making Booth shudder. He turned and walked back to the car.

Aubrey got in and put on his seatbelt. "Hey Booth, do you think we could make a quick stop on the way? I'm kinda hungry" he said.

"Of course you are" Booth shook his head.


	9. Ill - Secret - Behind - Want

_As it worked out, I incorporated 4 words into this one short._

* * *

The phone shrill ringing woke Booth up after the third ring. He looked around the dark room, still groggy from his deep sleep. He realised that the phone was still ringing. Reaching out he fumbled in the dark towards the flashing light of his phone.

"Yeah. Booth" he mumbled.

Brennan, also woken from sleep rolled over and lay facing her husband as he listened to the voice on the other end of the phone line.

"Wait. What?" Booth said, forcing himself out of the fog that was around him. He reached out and flicked on the bedside lamp. "Say that again?" he asked sharply.

Brennan squinted in the light, her eyes adjusting, but she could see something wasn't right. Booths face had blanched and he looked like he was about to cry.

"OK. Yes. Uh, thanks for the call. I'll be there as soon as I can." he said, then dropped the hand holding the phone into his lap. He sat staring blankly ahead.

"Pops died" his voice barely audible. "He'd been ill for months" he said, choking on the words. "I can't believe it. I just talked to him last week. The nurse I spoke to said he'd been keeping it a secret from everyone. I mean, how could he have done that?"

Brennan sucked on her bottom lip. She knew how much Pops meant to Booth. She reached out and lay her hand on his arm gently. Choosing her words carefully "Booth. You know how he was. He probably knew how much it would hurt the ones he left behind and he wouldn't want to have worried you."

Booth turned, laying down and reaching out for her. "I know. But maybe" he voice fading.

Brennan wrapped her arms around him. It would have to be enough for now.


	10. Stranded

Brennan was squatting next to the body the police had found earlier that morning. She was particularly interested in the section of the sternum that was exposed, the flesh having been removed by some sort of animal.

Booth stood on the other side of the body, notebook in hand. "So, what the hell was he doing out here by himself?" he posited, looking around the clearing. "and how did he get here?"

Brennan shrugged and looked up at him. "Well I cannot answer your first question. Only he, or anyone who was here with him can answer that. As for your second question"

"I found tyre tracks!" Aubrey called from just outside the edge of the clearing. "Back here" he pointed behind him.

"Well, there you go" Brennan said smiling up at Booth. "He came in a vehicle. The thing I'm more interested in, is why he was left, stranded here alone?"

Booth took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, looking around. He frowned, his lips pressed tightly together and pulled to the side of his face as he walked towards Aubrey, his eyes on the ground. He stopped and knelt down, poking at the ground with his pen "Can someone mark this and take a cast?" he called out. He looked around and then pointed with his pen "And this one" he said.

Aubrey stepped up behind him, looking over his shoulder "Boot print! Excellent work!" he said.

Booth frowned and glanced up over his shoulder "gee thanks" he said unsuccessfully trying to push himself up to his feet with a groan. "And that's not a boot print" he added pointing to the second print, then held out his hand.

James Aubrey stood nodding, sucking on his bottom lip thoughtfully.

"Aubrey! A little help?" Booth said, waving his hand in the air in front of his partner.

"Oh! You need me to"

"Just help me up!" Booth snapped.

Aubrey jumped and grabbed hold of Booths hand and forearm and heaved. "You uh, weigh a lot more than you look, Booth"

Booth stumbled to his feet and pulled his hand from Aubrey's and stomped towards the car.

Aubrey turned and looked at Brennan and raised his eyebrows, his eyes popping. "Awkward" he said.

Brennan grinned and stood up to follow Booth. She stopped for a moment next to Aubrey "He definitely does, but don't tell him I agreed with you." she whispered.

"Bones! Let's go!" Booth yelled from the car.

Aubrey winked and tapped his nose.

"I don't know what that means" she said brusquely and walked away.

Aubrey dropped his hand and shuffled his feet "Right. So. I guess I'll catch a lift with these guys?" he called as Booth and Brennan drove away leaving him stranded.


	11. Wealthy

Jack Hodgins sat opposite Angela, and took a bite of the grilled cheese sandwich in his hand. He pulled it away from his mouth, leaving a large oozing glob of melted cheese clinging to his beard, making Angela cringe.

"Man I have missed these! You know, they really have no clue how to make these in France." he said, pulling the ball of cheese from his beard and popping it in his mouth.

"Oh Sweetie. Here" Angela said, trying not to watch Hodgins eat as she held out a napkin.

"So why did you want to meet for lunch?" he asked as he took another bite of grilled cheese.

"Well, I was thinking." she began.

"Oh boy, well this can't be good" Hodgins laughed.

Angela shook her head "No. Really. We're wealthy now, right? Even after you bought the house in France?" she asked.

Hodgins stopped chewing for a moment, frowning "Yeah. I guess you'd call us wealthy. Why?" he asked.

"So. I was wondering how you would feel about funding an art school here in Washington for underprivileged kids. I was thinking I could run classes there? And it would be great for Michael to spend time with kids that aren't as lucky as he is" she said, contemplating his reaction.

Hodgins burst out laughing "Oh Angie, you never. Ever. Ever, cease to amaze me!"

He put down his sandwich and grabbed a napkin, wiping at the grease on his lips. He stood up and leaned across the table to kiss Angela. "I think that's a great idea. And I'm sure we can swing it." he sat back down and picked up his sandwich "I'll have a talk to our accountant tomorrow and we'll work something out."

He grinned widely as he chewed "I love this idea!" he said waving the sandwich in her direction "Love it!"


	12. Marriage

_This little drabble is pure fiction, set somewhere between them moving into their home and before Brennan proposed._

* * *

"Booth, I'm sorry. I've said I'm sorry multiple times. I've even said sorry in three different languages, although you don't seem to appreciate that either!" Brennan said, her arms folded across her chest, her voice clipped.

She turned to look at Booth who was staring straight ahead, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

"I don't really understand what the problem was. He asked who you were. I responded with the truth." Brennan said.

Booth's eyes flicked towards her then focused back on the road ahead.

"What?" she said, her voice perplexed.

"I'm not just your partner Bones. I'm your. I'm your" he grappled to think what to call himself. "We have a child. We share a home." He said, then turned towards her, "Dammit Bones, why is it when we meet your exes, you wait until they ask and you say, oh, this is my partner."

"Well, you are!" Brennan said, confusion in her eyes.

Booth turned his eyes back to the road, his head nodding. "You're right. That's what I am."

He suddenly pulled over and turned to face her "Look, I know we're not bound by marriage. Yet. Notice I said yet? You know I want to. It's just finding the right time to make it legal."

"I know, but when people ask, or assume things" her voice trailed off.

"I get that Bones" Booth said, his voice softening "But you have no reason to be worried. You're beautiful and successful and world renowned".

Brennan let a smile creep around her mouth "Well, yes. I know that" she said, agreeing with him.

Booth smiled "And you're living with a devilishly handsome FBI Agent, and you have an adorable child." he continued.

"Thank you for reminding me" she said. "Booth. When I say, you're my partner. I don't just mean for work. But we're not married, so what am I supposed to say? This is my live in lover?"

Booth frowned, "Well, no. Of course not" he stammered.

"So I say, this is my partner, Booth." she said, shrugging.

Booth remained silent for a moment, then nodded "I'm going to have to do something about that, sooner rather than later" he said grinning.

"I don't know what that means" Brennan said.

"I know" he said, smiling widely "but you soon will"


	13. Affected

****Booth strode down the length of one of the many corridors of the US Department Of Justice. He stopped outside a solid wooden door, with a silver nameplate, fixed level with his eyeline.

 _Caroline Julian  
Asst US Attorney_ ****

He took a deep breath and lifted his arm, balling his hand to knock when the door opened suddenly. Caroline Julian stood in the doorway, glaring at him "You took your damned time getting here. Now get that pretty face in here and close the door behind you Cherie" she said, turning her back and stomping back to her desk.

She turned as he closed the door. "Do you see these?" she banged a pile of blue binders on her desk. "These are my cases for this week. All of these." she said as she banged her hand on the folders again. "And do you see those?" she pointed at another pile of orange folders on the floor "They are my cases from last week. Do you know what the difference is?"

"Uh, those are in blue folders?" Booth said, shrugging.

"There is no difference. They're all pending. All of them." Caroline said, the frustration in her voice apparent. "There is a stomach flu going around this building. It has affected approximately fifty percent of my staff. And frankly, from the way I'm feeling Cherie? I'm about ninety percent certain it has affected me. I feel like I have two squirrels wrestling in my lower intestine, and my head is pounding and I don't want to be here. Except I have to get your report before I can go home and release the squirrels. Now, tell me what you need to tell me and then leave. And don't breathe if you can help it. " she said as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Booth quickly gave his report to Caroline and signed off on the paperwork.

She walked, or more correctly, waddled, towards the door and turned back to face him. "If you need me? Well my advice is don't need me. I'm going home to"

"Release the squirrels?" Booth said, a grin on his face.

"If I didn't love you so much Seeley Booth, I'd." her face blanched "Oh. I gotta go" she said as she disappeared through the door leaving Booth laughing so hard tears were running down his face.


	14. Long Hours

Brennan opened her eyes. She blinked as the bright lights of the lab hit her pupils. She started to lift her head, then flinched. Reaching up, she massaged the side of her neck, slowly turning her head so her forehead was pressing against the bench in front of her. She took a breath and started to sit up straight. Every muscle in her back and shoulders resisted.

"I really have to stop working such long hours and falling asleep at my work bench" she said outloud, to nobody.

Her voice sounded incredibly loud in the silence of the lab. She glanced around as she lifted her arms above her head to stretch. Twisting from side to side, flexing her shoulders and tilting her head from side to side, trying to loosen up her stiff body.

A voice behind her made her turn around.

"Morning Doctor Brennan. I hope you slept well?" Zack said.

"Considering I was asleep at my workspace, I expect I slept well enough Mr Addy." she said.

She noticed Zack was frowning at her "Is there something wrong Mr Addy?"

His eyes kept flickering away from her and he shuffled his feet.

"Mr Addy? I asked if there was anything wrong." she repeated, annoyed that she had to ask him a second time.

"Well, no, but. You have. There's something" he flicked his forefinger over his own cheek.

"Is there something wrong with your face Mr Addy?" she asked, frowning.

He hesitated, then stepped up to her, reaching out and pulling a triangular piece of skull from her cheek and holding it out to her.

She stared at it for a moment, then slowly reached out and took it from him "Oh. Thankyou. I expect I would have missed that at some point." she said.


	15. Worthy

Temperance Brennan looked up from her computer disturbed by the knock on her office door.

"Mr Nigel-Murray? How may I help you?" she said, then resumed typing her report as if he was not there.

"Uh, yes, Doctor Brennan, well, I, err, well, I was wondering, if, I" Vincent Nigel-Murray stammered.

"Are you incapable of forming a cohesive sentence Mr Nigel-Murray? I would not have considered you worthy of filling a position here at the Jeffersonian if I knew that." Brennan said, staring at him, her head tilted slightly to the right, her brow furrowed. "Well?" she asked.

"Ahh. Yes. Sorry about that. I suppose I should explain myself. I, ahh. Well to be honest. I'm quite. Ahh, I'm extremely" Vincent began.

"I'm sorry Mr Nigel-Murray, but could you please just say what you came in here for? I'm extremely busy and frankly, if every conversation we have is going to be so tedious?" Brennan said then sighed loudly.

Vincent stared at the floor for a moment, his hands clasped together behind his back. He suddenly grinned widely "I just wanted to say what an honour it is to have been chosen to be here, under you. Well. Not exactly under you per se. But beneath you. Not physically because, that would be inappropriate, of course. But working under your tutelage is quite exciting and will be, I'm sure, mutually educational." he said, his eyes sparkling.

Brennan tapped away at her keyboard for a few seconds, then glanced up at him "Is that all?" she said.

Vincent's smile faded slightly, his feet shuffling "Um. Well. I suppose, I mean, I expect so"

Brennan nodded "Well, please make the most of this opportunity. From what I have read about you, you appear to have very good qualifications. Don't let me down Mr Nigel-Murray. Now please, get to work." she said, then turned back to her computer. "and close the door on your way out" she added without looking up.

Vincent stood for a moment, looking around, "So I should leave now?" he asked.

Brennan took a deep breath and stopped typing, and simply stared at him.

"Oh! Right. Excellent. I'll be off then!" he said, turning and heading towards the door.

Brennan waited until he had exited her office then rubbed at her forehead. _How on earth am I going to deal with that?_ she thought, then shook her head and continued to work, a smile breaking across her face _Booth's going to hate him_


	16. Sinful

**SINFUL**

"Bones!" Booth burst through the door of his apartment, "Bones! I got it" he called again.

Brennan walked out of the bathroom, her toothbrush poking out of her mouth. "What are you yelling about Booth?" she asked, frowning.

Booth stopped and smiled at her, "You look adorable" he said.

Brennan frowned for a moment, looking down at her swollen belly. She was wearing a maternity bra, a pair of oversized yellow pyjama pants and the bunny slippers he had bought her to stop her getting splinters from the timber floor.

"I got it" he said again holding up a container.

Brennan's eyes popped open "No. You didn't?" she asked, pulling the toothbrush out of her mouth. "Wait. Wait a minute." She said as she ran back into the bathroom to rinse her mouth out and put on her robe.

Booth ran to the kitchen and grabbed two spoons, then ran back to the couch and settled himself on it waiting for her.

Brennan came waddling as fast as she could and joined him, her eyes sparkling.

"Ready?" he asked pulling the lid from the container.

"It's positively sinful!" she exclaimed.

"Yep. Double Fudgy Chocolate Mocha Crunch with Extra Sauce. I got the last container! " Booth exclaimed holding up his spoon.

Brennan grinned as he clinked his spoon against hers and proceeded to scoop out a large spoonful of icecream.

"Here's looking at you kid" he said, then seeing the look on her face "I know you don't know what that means. It's from a movie. Don't worry about it. Eat."

Brennan didn't need any further invitation.

"mmmm, I love icecream" she mumbled, her mouth full.

"I love you more" Booth said, licking his spoon then kissing her. "Wanna take this to bed?"

Brennan grinned as Booth stood up. She held out her hand and he pulled her to her feet.

"We should hurry, before it melts" she said.

"Oh it's going to melt Bones. It's definitely going to melt, but not the way you think"


	17. Obvious

Booth sat at his desk, pen in hand, trying to write what he had hoped would be a romantic note for Bones. He stared at the five words he had written.

 _Dear Bones, You are the_

"No. No Booth. Wrong." He muttered as he ripped the page from the writing pad and screwed it into a ball and lobbed it across his office into the waste basket under the window.

"Hey! Swish! That's three!" Aubrey announced as he walked through the door.

"What do you want?" Booth said gruffly, slamming his pen down onto the desk.

"Woah there partner!" Aubrey said, trying to lighten Booth's mood. "I was just about to shoot down to the diner to grab a pre lunch snack and I thought, _Hey! Booth might like something!_ So here I am, kindly offering to grab you lunch while I'm there" he said dropping into the heavy leather chair and lifting his feet up to rest them on Booth's desk.

Booth clamped his lips together into a hard straight line and shook his head "mm, mmm" his brow furrowed.

Aubrey stopped the heel of his work shoe hovering over the corner of the desk then realised that Booth was making that sound for his benefit.

He grinned and blushed "Sorry about that partner. So, what's got you all Mr Cranky Pants?" he asked lowering his feet to the floor.

"Nothing. And even if it's something, it's still nothing as far as you're concerned" Booth said rubbing at his forehead.

"Well, it's obvious that something"

Booth cut him off with a grunt "Aubrey. It's nothing. Look, yes. Grab me a tuna on rye with extra mayo and a large coffee" he said, knowing that it would get Aubrey out of his office.

"Aye Aye Captain!" Aubrey said, giving Booth a jaunty salute as he jumped to his feet. He stood for a moment, waiting for Booth to give him money to pay for his lunch.

"Yes?" Booth asked.

"Um, anything else?" Aubrey said, not wanting to ask Booth.

"No. Wait! Get me a couple of donuts too. Thanks." Booth said waving Aubrey out of his office.

Aubrey blinked a few times, then backed away from the desk, nodding. "OK. Lunch is on me!" he said, turning and walking to the door. "again"


	18. Caught

"Tag! You're it Daddy!" Christine's voice tinkled as she ran away from Booth.

He grinned watching her little legs pumping as she ran.

"Here I come!" Booth called pretending to run very fast after her.

Christine squealed and giggled as she zig zagged across the grass.

Booth zagged as she zigged, pretending that he couldn't keep up with her, making her squeal even louder.

Finally, he reached out and scooped her up in his arms, spinning her around and around.

"Daddy! You caught me!" she laughed.

Booth started smothering her little face with big sloppy kisses, as she wriggled and giggled.

She suddenly reached up and grabbed him by his cheeks, pulling his face close to hers, staring into his dark brown eyes.

"I love you Daddy" she said.

Pure and simple words that made his heart miss a beat. Nothing could have prepared him for the love he would have felt for this small little girl in his arms.


	19. Splatter

Angela stood in front of a large canvas. She flicked a large brush loaded with bright orange paint at it, watching the paint splatter across the pristine crisp white surface.

She tilted her head and picked up a second brush loaded with a deep, dark grey and repeated the process. She screwed up her nose as the grey paint splatter began to merge with the orange in places.

Using a third brush, she began running the horse hair bristles through the paint swirling it, then feathering it in an outward direction towards the edges of the canvas.

This process was repeated, many, times, with many different colours. Her concentration making her tongue poke through her lips ever so slightly, and her forehead furrow. Her head tilting left and right as she contemplated her work.

"That's amazing Ang!" a voice behind her, interrupting her train of thought.

She turned and saw Hodgins standing there watching her.

She looked back at the canvas and frowned, screwing up her nose.

"No. It's rubbish." She said, shaking her head pulling the canvas from the easel and dropping it in the trash can in the corner of the room.

Hodgins ran over and rescued the piece of art, holding it up so he could see it. "Well I love it. It's like the moors in England on a misty day" he said.

Angela stared at him "Great. It's meant to be the view from the stage at one of my Dad's concerts"

Jack's eyes bugged slightly and his mouth dropped open, he held up the painting again and turned it over "Right. Yeah! I see that now!" he said.

Angela laughed and walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around him "Liar" she said, hugging him tightly.


	20. Flight - Slip - Escape - Honour

Booth slammed down the phone "God dammit. Aubrey! Get in here now!" he yelled through the open door of his office.

Aubrey's head appeared around the door jam "You rang?" he said, then saw Booth's face and immediately knew something was up. He walked quickly in and sat down opposite Booth.

"Our suspect has been released. They actually let him walk out. It's like he's about to slip through our fingers, jump on the next flight and escape. All because we may, or may not have acquired that bit of evidence, after we got the warrant." Booth threw his pen onto his desk and pushed himself back in his chair, his hands raking through his hair.

"But they don't know for sure, do they?" Aubrey asked, knowing full well that Booth's honour was at stake.

"No. But that's not the point. He's out. And he's going to run. Months of work, down the drain" Booth said.

Aubrey stood up and looked at Booth.

"What?" Booth asked, frustration.

"We've got work to do. Are you going to sit there and sulk, or are we going to do what we need to do to get him? Come on" Aubrey said turning and walking out the door.

Booth sat for a minute staring at the empty doorway, then stood up, grabbed his jacket and followed.


	21. Ashamed–Attentive-Motivated–Grovel-Swear

Booth kissed Christine's golden hair and tiptoed out of her room pulling the door closed behind him.

Brennan was sitting on the edge of their bed, waiting for him. She was nervous. Something she was surprised about. Booth was her husband. It's not like she hadn't spent the night with him before. But, it was his first night home after she had sent him away.

"Hi Bones." he said softly.

"Booth" she replied.

He walked up to the bed and pointed at the spot next to her "May I?" he asked.

Brennan smiled and nodded.

He sat down gently, almost reverently, beside her. He knew what a big deal this was. Her, asking him to stay the night.

"Booth" she began.

"No. Bones. Please, I need to say something. I know how much I hurt and disappointed you. I'm so ashamed of what I did, I can't even begin to tell you." Brennan sat, completely attentive. "I just need you to know that I am one hundred and twenty percent motivated to show you that I'm working on my problem. I will do anything to come home permanently. I'll beg. I'll grovel at your feet. I swear to you. I love you. I want to come home to you and Christine. I know I can do this, even if I'm not here. But I'll do better, if I am. That's it. That's what I want to say."

Brennan stared at her feet, then swallowed and let herself look at him. He looked so broken. Her heart was going to rule over her brain this time, despite everything she had told herself she was going to say.

She spoke clearly, "You know what's at stake now. It's me. And Christine. Or it's nothing. I can't make that any clearer Booth. It's all up to you. I'm here to support you, but you have to do this. For you. As much as for us."

Booth nodded and dropped onto his knees on the floor in front of you, his hands clasped, resting on her knees. "I know. I promise you. You and Christine. Us. Our home. Our family. That's what I want. Nothing else. All that. Stuff. I don't even know why I fell so quickly. I guess. I guess I've never really addressed it all properly. But this time. I promise Bones. I'm done with it. For good." Booth said, desperation in his voice.

Brennan stared at his hands then covered them with hers.

He looked down at her them, her wedding band glinting in the light. It was like a message directed straight into his heart.

"For good" she repeated as she bowed her head down and pressed her lips into his hair.


	22. Shoot  Switch  Promise   Crawl

There's something that happens to a man when he shoots someone. You can't really explain it to anyone. You can use words like devastating, or emotional, or heartbreaking, but they still won't understand what that means.

It changes you, fundamentally at your core. It makes you question who you are. What you are. Unless you've been in my shoes, well, you'll never really understand how it has affected me.

I pray, asking for absolution, forgiveness, understanding. If I could ask for it all to be taken away, I would. But I can't. So I live with it. Knowing what I've done. Trying to live with the kind of man I had to become.

Trust me, if I could switch lives with someone who hasn't done what I have, I would. In a heartbeat. But this is the real world, and all I can do is make a solemn promise that I won't let myself crawl through that mire of pain and guilt again. That who I am now, is someone I can be proud of.

For if I can't be proud of me. How can she?


	23. Grin  Hug  Burn   Kiss

"Come here you" Booth's grin split across his face as he lay sprawled on their big king sized bed. His bare feet hanging over the end of the bed, legs spread wide apart. His bare chest was rising and falling as he breathed.

Brennan swallowed and looked behind her. She knew Christine was out in the living room watching her favourite TV show and that it had about thirty five minutes left to run. She closed the door and flicked the lock.

She landed on his chest and laughed as he wrapped her up in a hug. She could feel the heat from his skin through her thin Tshirt. She felt herself respond. The burn starting deep in the pit of her belly.

Pressing her lips to his, their kiss deepening as he rolled her over onto her back. He pushed himself up, kneeling over her, trapping her between his legs, as he pulled her shirt from her. He didn't bother trying to undo her bra, rather, he dragged it up over her chest, pulling it up her arms and sling shotting it across the room.

He looked down, taking in every glorious part of her body. The length of her throat, her collar bones, fine and straight, her breasts, full and white with rosy peaks, the swell of her belly disappearing into her jeans.

"These have to go" he said gruffly, pulling down the zip and reaching under her buttocks to grab the waistband and dragging them down.

Brennan squealed and giggled. "Booth! If you just asked" she laughed.

"No time to wait" he moaned as he buried his face between her breasts.

A knock at the door pulling them out of their foreplay.

"Daddy? Mommy? Are you play fighting again? Can I play?" Christine called through the door.

Booth, mortified that his daughter was even aware that they often had play fights, jumped off the bed, jamming his erection down into his jeans and pulling on a shirt while Brennan scrambled under the covers of the bed.

Booth pulled open the door "Hi baby. Play fighting? No. I was just. Um"

"Daddy was just tucking me into bed. I'm tired. So I thought I'd take a little nap" Brennan said guiltily.

"Oh" Christine said, almost disappointed. "I like play fights"

Booth glanced back at Brennan as he picked up his daughter "Oh so do Mommy and me. But maybe not right now." he said.

"Can we have icecream?" Christine asked.

Booth grinned "Icecream sounds better than a play fight, doesn't it Mommy? We'll have icecream. Come on Mommy, you can take a nap later." he said, carrying Christine down the hallway.

Brennan lay there for a moment "Icecream isn't nearly as satisfying as a play fight Booth. Not even close" she said, laughing.


	24. Mute     Suffocate    Punch

"Can you just shut him up Aubrey?" Booth yelled at his partner who was sitting on the belly of a man they had just run down in a twenty minute foot chase.

Booth bent over at the waist, his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. He had nearly had to give up the chase, something that would have been embarrassing to say the least. Aubrey, fortunately, had sprinted like a jack rabbit after their suspect, cornering him and right when he had tried to climb over a wire gate, hauled him down to the ground.

Aubrey clamped his hands over the man's mouth, trying to mute the screams that were emanating from him.

"Shut up man. Just stop! Do you want me to suffocate you into silence? I could do it. Just try me" Aubrey said as coldly as he could make himself sound, while increasing the pressure over the man's mouth, essentially cutting off his air supply momentarily.

A manoeuvre that worked surprisingly effectively, until he got cocky and grinned up at Booth, taking his attention away from his captive.

The man, pulled his arm free and threw a surprisingly strong punch at Aubrey.

"Hey! Not nice man!" Aubrey yelled, grabbing at the man's arm, securing to the other with handcuffs, then pulled him to his feet.

"Good job Aubrey. Except for the part where you let the guy punch you. Otherwise, not bad" Booth smirked.

He bent down so he was looking into the eyes of their suspect "You're just lucky it was him and not me" he said, then clapped Aubrey on the back. "Get him in the car".


	25. Exile – Plead – Strong - Defenseless

_I'll never forget that night. The night I sent him away. Into exile._

 _The pain in his eyes, in his voice, as he began to plead with me. He looked so beaten down and defenceless._

 _But I had to do it. I couldn't let him see the pain I was in. I had to do it for myself and Christine. But mostly I had to do it for him. I had to be the strong one. If I hadn't, I don't think we would be where we are today._

 _Granted, things aren't perfect. Not that they ever were. Nothing is perfect after all. But we're here. And we're trying to make things better._

 _He is my heart, when I have none. He is my soul, when I feel empty. He is my home, when I am lost._

 _And for those reasons._

 _I'll never stop trying._


	26. Discover - Action

Cam looked up from the remains as Jack Hodgins approached. He was carrying a black bag and wearing a huge grin.

"So what have we got?" he asked cheerily.

Cam tried to hide her smile. It never failed to amuse her, how excited Hodgins got when he was out in the field. It gave him the greatest pleasure when he was able to discover the array of insects, animals and funghi that made themselves at home amongst the decomposed remains of bodies.

"Um, well, we have this. As you can see, there's not much left." She lifted her goggles and looked at her watch. "I want to get the remains packed up and shipped back to the lab before the sun gets too high" she said as she squinted at the rising sun.

Hodgins jumped into action, pulling his goggles out of his bag and pulling them onto his head. "I hear ya. It's going to be a hot one today" he sniffed deeply "and from the smell of things, it's deteriorating pretty quickly. I'll be as quick as I can" he added kneeling down and peering closely at the brown sludge in front of him.

Cam shuddered as she watched his nose momentarily came into contact with the body. "Yeah. I'm going to leave you to it" she said her nose screwed up.

Hodgins looked up and grinned, a smudge of body on the end of his nose. Cam, shook her head and turned, heading for the car. _God I hope he disinfects that before kissing Angela_ she thought, laughing as she got into her car.


	27. Sport–Memorable–Die-Missing-Luck-Rescue

Booth sat, feet, encased in bright yellow, red and orange striped socks, perched on the coffee table in front of the sofa. An announcer appeared on the TV screen, reminding him that the game will be starting in five minutes. His toes wriggled in response to his excitement.

"Christine! The game is going to start any minute now. Are you going to come watch with Daddy?" he yelled over his shoulder.

"Booth. Must you yell at her? Really? All this excitement over sport?" Brennan said, standing on the opposite side of the coffee table, blocking his view.

He leaned left, then right, trying to see around her. "Come on Bones. This is going to be one of the memorable games of the season! I would die to be able to be there. And I would have, except that you and Angela are going shopping for baby things, so I, like the wonderful husband that I am, am happily missing it, and babysitting" he said, in a slightly whiny voice.

"Oh, and I'm so very grateful Booth, truly I am" she said, grabbing his big toe and pulling his foot off the coffee table "Please don't use the table as a foot rest." she said, eyebrows raised.

A car horn sounded from outside "Ah. Angela is here. Wish me luck! You know how she gets when we go shopping." Brennan said, grabbing her purse and coat.

"Have fun. You can always give me a call if you need me to rescue you" Booth said, grinning widely.

"I'm quite sure I'll manage" Brennan replied, walking through the door, pulling it closed behind her.

Christine skipped into the room and plonked down onto the couch next to her father. "Ready for the game?" he asked putting his feet back onto the table.

"Yup" Christine said, stretching her legs and resting her feet on the edge of the table next to her father's legs.

Booth looked at her, suddenly realising she was mimicking him, then grinned widely.

 _That's my girl_ he thought and turned up the volume.


	28. Abort- Possessed

Brennan and Cam stared down at the remains of the young girl before them. Cam was torn between being a professional, and being a mother. She was younger than Michelle. A mere child.

"Female. Approximately seventeen years of age. Caucasian." Brennan was checking off the basics.

She looked across at Cam. "It appears she has been pregnant recently. But she doesn't show signs of having given birth."

Cam nodded, pushing out her bottom lip. "I would hazard a guess that she chose to abort not long ago." sadness catching in her throat.

"Is there any way we could find out how? Or where? I'm quite certain that the infection she contracted is what killed her. Of course, that's just my opinion. The autopsy will confirm that." Brennan said. "Why Cam?" she asked suddenly. "What could have possessed her to do that?"

Cam stepped back, shaking her head "If we could answer that, perhaps we could stop illegal abortions. Fear? Maybe, she had nobody to turn to. Once we get an ID, hopefully we will know where she comes from. Until then" her voice trailed off.

The two women stood staring at each other for a moment. Brennan, feeling the new life inside her moving restlessly. Cam despairing that she would never know what it was like to bear a child. Neither able to fully understand what might have driven this young girl into making a decision that had ended her life.


	29. Graveyard – Trail – Walk – Plunge - Jump

Cam and Hodgins stood at the edge of the graveyard, staring down at the open grave. Cam lifted a recorder to her mouth and began to speak.

"Open grave, two bodies, one woman, one male, both appear to be in their early twenties. One body is at the base of the grave. The other is lying awkwardly, almost sideways within it. It appears that they weren't placed here, rather they have fallen into the grave. Due to the constricted space within the hole, we will be removing the bodies so that a thorough initial examination may be done after transporting back to the lab" her voice, matter of fact, devoid of emotion. Inside, she was, however, devastated.

Two students from Michelle's college were missing. They were friends of hers and she had called her mother, worried about what might have happened to them. Cam tried to push down the rising panic that she had just found out what had become of them.

Booth's voice broke through her thoughts.

"Hey, there's a trail up here!" He was standing on the edge of a ten foot drop, above the fenceline of the graveyard. "Just give me a minute. I'm going to take a quick walk to see where it leads" he yelled as he disappeared into the bushes.

Several minutes later he reappeared at the graveside next to Cam. "There's a clearing with a vehicle in it. Footprints indicate they walked towards that drop, but didn't return." His voice trailed off for a moment "So, it was probably pitch black last night, I guess they just, plunged off the edge and landed in that grave?"

"Or they tried to jump" Hodgins said looking up at the spot they would have fallen or jumped from.

"Correct me if I'm wrong. Whether they fell or jumped, that wouldn't have killed them, right?" Booth asked.

"No. It wouldn't." Cam said bluntly. "Doctor Hodgins, can you please have everything brought back to the Jeffersonian as soon as possible. I need to identify them and find cause of death as soon as possible." Cam said, emotions beginning to fluster her thinking.

"Cam? Are you alright?" Booth asked.

She shook her head, then looked up at him, tears in her eyes "I'm not sure Seeley. I. I think they might be Michelle's friends. I need to go back to the lab. I'll see you back there." She said, pulling herself together and walked back to her vehicle, pulling off her rubber gloves and shoving them down into the pocket of her jumpsuit.

She wanted to call Michelle immediately, but knew that she couldn't. Not without knowing.


	30. Self-conscious Suspicious Mistake Compli

**Self-conscious Suspicious Mistake Complicated**

Cam stood staring at herself in the mirror. She fidgeted with the collar of her crisp white blouse, then smoothed the front where it tucked into her navy blue skirt. She screwed up her nose.

 _I look like a school marm_ she thought shaking her head and unbuttoning the blouse. She threw it onto the bed along with the other outfits she had tried and discarded.

 _Why do I feel so awkward?_ She pulled a deep gold dress out of the closet and slipped it over her head. She rolled her eyes as she looked at herself in the mirror. She always felt self-conscious in this dress. It's low sweetheart neckline showing off the swell of her breasts. The shop assistant had insisted it looked amazing. But she had been suspicious that she was only after a sale. But of course, she had bought it.

 _This is a mistake_ she thought as she ran a brush through her dark hair.

She had always said she would never date anyone at work. It always got complicated. "Just look at Booth and Brennan" she said to herself in the mirror, tilting her head as she looked at herself.

She sighed heavily and shook her head. _You've committed to it Camille. Just smile, even if you aren't having a good time. What's the worst thing that could happen?_ she thought as she grabbed her jacket and clutch.

 _You could really like him_ was the last thought she had as she left to meet Arastoo Vaziri for their first official date.


	31. Black Out - Reveal - Grotesque

Brennan opened her eyes. Her first sensation was searing pain. She couldn't quite work out where the pain was coming from. It was all encompassing.

Slowly she pushed herself up into a sitting position _Did I black out?_ a muddled thought pushed its way into her brain.

She looked at her hands. _Blood? Is that mine?_

She looked around _Bathroom_

Brennan stood up, pain rocketing through her body. She held onto the basin, wiping the condensation from the mirror to reveal her face. At first she was shocked by the grotesque image in front of her. She blinked and wiped at the mirror a bit more, her image becoming slightly clearer.

She took in facial abrasions, a deep cut, black eye. She didn't need to look any more. She sat down heavily. Her only clear thought _I need Booth_


	32. Swim  Resign     Nonsense   Declare

Brennan did a barrel roll and started slowly swimming back towards the other end of the pool. She hadn't been for a swim in ages. Not since she moved out of her apartment complex and in with Booth.

She was out of breath before she finished her second lap, the baby pressing against her diaphragm making it hard for her to breathe deeply.

"I'll have to resign myself to accepting that I'm completely out of shape" she said out loud, standing up in the shallow end of the pool.

"Nonsense!" a voice behind her made her turn. "Your shape is perfect"

Booth stood at the far end of the pool.

"What are you doing here?" she said as she waded towards the ladder on the side of the pool.

Booth walked around to meet her, towel in hand. "Well, I came to find you and tell you that they are going to declare that property is ours, officially, as of three o'clock this afternoon.

Brennan wiped at her face and looked up at him, her eyes wide "So it's really ours?" she asked.

Booth grinned and nodded "Yep. All ours."

"Our mighty hut" Brennan said as she felt his arms wrap around her.


	33. Corrupt, Wrong, Right

James Aubrey sat at the bar, drink in his hand. Booth, his partner and mentor sat beside him, hunched over two empty shot glasses and a beer. Neither of them spoke.

Aubrey lifted his glass and took a long slow sip of his beer. He swallowed and licked his lips as he replaced the glass on the bar.

"I don't know what else to tell you Booth. My father was corrupt. Pure and simple. He didn't care about right or wrong. He didn't care about my mother. Or me. All he cared about was the money." he said, shaking his head as he stared at the bubbles in his beer, slowly pulling off the bottom of the glass. They clung to the glass, unwilling to let go, then as they stretched up, towards the surface of the fluid, they pulled free and floated up to the frothy top.

"He didn't want help. But, I know you're not like that. I know that you love Mrs B and Christine more than anything in the world. I can see it every time you mention their names. It was never about the money for you." Aubrey said.

Booth sighed "I don't care about money" he said, his head slowly turning from side to side.

Aubrey clapped him on the back and stood up "No. You don't. And that's why you're going to beat this. You're going to address it, beat it and put in behind you."

He leaned over Booth and pushed his drink away from him. "We've got a meeting to go to." he said, matter of factly.

Booth turned and looked up at the young man standing beside him. He thought about telling him he was quite capable of going to his GA meeting alone. But tonight, tonight he felt the strength of the support Aubrey was offering him.

He nodded and stood up, dropping several crumpled bills on the bar. "Yep. We do." he said, patting Aubrey on the shoulder as he stepped past him and headed for the door.


	34. Administer, Embrace, Argue, Lose

Brennan gently lifted Christine's pants leg, trying to keep it clear of the badly skinned knee below it.

Christine's scream increased in volume and pitch. "Christine. Sweetheart" she flinched as another scream pierced her eardrum "Please. I'm simply trying to administer some basic first aid. If you would just try to not pull your leg away from me"

Christine interrupted her by pulling her leg away from her mother and letting out another mighty scream, followed by violent crying.

Booth flew through the front door, slamming it open "What? What's happened?" he yelled, looking around frantically before setting sight on his wife and daughter.

He ran over to Christine, picking her up and wrapping her in his protective embrace.

He looked at Brennan "What's going on? Why is she screaming? I could hear her all the way down the street as I drove up!" he asked, terrified about what the reply might be.

Brennan rolled her eyes and stood up, irritated by the fact that Christine had stopped her screaming and was quietly cuddling into Booth's chest. "Christine fell in the back yard. Her knee is badly skinned. I was simply trying to apply some first aid, but she fought against me. I didn't want to argue with her, but she wouldn't listen to reason." Brennan explained. She looked at Booth, her blue eyes showing her hurt at the fact that Christine was now calm, wrapped in her father's arms. "I didn't mean to lose my temper, but she wouldn't stop screaming." she added, crestfallen.

Booth nodded and leaned close to Christine's ear "Honey. How about you let Mommy and me fix your knee. Would that be OK?" he asked.

He was answered with his daughters fair head nodding. Then, her upturned face, streaked with tears appeared from his chest. "OK" she said simply.

"OK" Booth repeated smiling reassuringly.

He looked at Brennan, "OK Mommy?"

Brennan smiled and stroked Christine's hair "OK"


	35. Monster-Hit-Build-Destroy

Christine ran through the living room screaming "The monster is coming! Daddy! The monster is coming!"

Booth jumped out from behind the sofa and leaped onto one of the living room chairs, a plastic hammer in his hand and a paper helmet on his head. "Never fear my princess! I have almost finished the castle gates you asked me to build and the walls are super strong!" he announced loudly waving his hammer around over his head.

"Quickly. We have to get inside" Christine called as she ran towards her bedroom, her princess dress flying behind her.

Booth followed her down the hallway, lurching as though he had a wooden leg.

Inside her bedroom she jumped behind the cardboard box wall her father had built. Two coat racks on either end forming turrets, where stuffed bears sat, jammed between the hooks, watching, waiting for the enemy to arrive.

"Hurry Daddy!" Christine shrieked.

Booth lurched through the door and stood just to one side, his hammer at the ready. He glanced towards her "I'm ready m'lady" he said, bowing his head.

Just as he turned his head, a black ball of fur bounded through the doorway, a long pink tongue, flopping up and down.

Booth raised his hammer, ready to destroy the monster that was attacking.

"No! Daddy! Don't! " Christine yelled then burst out laughing as the young black Labrador jumped and hit the walls of the castle, knocking it on top of Christine. She giggled as he licked her through a hole in the cardboard.

Booth stood watching his daughter rolling around with the _monster_ and smiled.


	36. Breathe    Assist      Stab

Brennan was on her knees in a pool of blood. She looked up. Everyone was moving in slow motion. Even sound was distorted, slowed down, muffled.

She wiped at the perspiration on her forehead. Her hand leaving a smear of blood behind.

She found her voice and brought everything back to speed.

"Hurry! I don't think he can breathe!" she screamed at the paramedic who was running across the car park.

The paramedic knelt down and checked her father. "His airway is constricted. I need to assist him Ma'am" he said, opening his medical case. "I need to do a tracheotomy." He said to Brennan who nodded her understanding.

"I saw him stab my father. I saw it" she sobbed, her normally calm demeanour had deserted her in the face of the possible loss of her father.

"Please ma'am. You need to let us do our job" a second paramedic said as he gently pulled her away from her father's side.

Brennan stood watching them working on her father, then load him into the ambulance. She finally let out the breath she had been holding, and climbed into the ambulance to ride along with Max.

The practical, sensible doctor was gone. In her place was a daughter.

"I'm here Dad. You're going to be fine. I'm here"


	37. Last Chapter of my BonesHiatus Challenge

This is a combination of my final prompt words and writers choice.

I hope you've enjoyed my short fics as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

Prompt words: Bite - Hunger - Passage - Drama - Haunted - Crisis - Dirty - Emotional

* * *

Booth coughed and opened his eyes. They felt gritty from the dust that was hanging in the air. He blinked several times, without success, and reached up to rub at his eyes with the balls of his hands. His vision still slightly blurry, he glanced around the dimly lit room. He squeezed his eyelids together once more and opened his eyes once more.

 _"_ I'm OK! _"_ he said out loud, his voice echoing slightly. He groaned as he moved. His landing had not been an easy one.

"Booth? Where are you?" Brennan's voice came to him from somewhere above him.

"Bones?" he called.

"Booth! Yes! It's me!" she cried out.

"Just stay put, and talk to me. I'm going to look for a way up" he called. He coughed again, dust coating his tongue. Pulling himself up to a standing position, he leaned against a timber support and took a couple of deep breaths. "OK, start talking Bones."

"What about?" she called out.

"Anything Bones. It doesn't matter. I just need to hear your voice" he answered, mildly frustrated.

"Well, I don't know what to talk about." Brennan said, her forehead creased as she thought about what to say.

"For God's sake Bones. It doesn't matter. Tell me how you're feeling. Tell me about the room you're in. It. Doesn't. Matter" he tried not to yell.

"I found a ladder!" Brennan called down to him "I'll drop it down."

"I told you to stay put! The last thing I need is you falling through the floor too" Booth said, frustration rising, but, at the same time, relieved that she seemed to be alright.

"Look out!" Brennan's voice called just as a ladder appeared from above him.

Booth reached up and grabbed the bottom rung of the ladder and guided it down.

"I have to drop it now Booth" she said.

He looked up and could see the outline of her head in the hole above him. "OK. I've got it Bones."

The weight of the ladder forced his arms down as she released it, but he was able to catch it. He lay the ladder down and looked at it. Fortunately it was an extendable one "She found it. Thank you Jesus" he muttered as he pulled the ladder to it's full length and locked the safety catches into place. It was old, with worn down rungs.

"OK Bones, I'm going to raise the ladder up now" he said, confident that it was going to be long enough. There was no guarantee it would be strong enough.

He walked the base of the ladder forwards a couple of inches and looked up at the top of the ladder, waving above him.

"Bones, is the ladder going to sit securely on the edge of the hole?" he yelled up at her.

"Yes. Yes I think it will be OK. I'm going to hold onto it" she called back. He felt her pull the ladder slightly as she settled it against the broken floorboards.

"Bones? NO! I need you to move back away from the edge of the hole. If the floorboards give way, I don't want you coming down with them"

"But"

"No! Bones. No. Just move away and cross your fingers" he yelled.

He took a deep breath, blew it out and pushed against the ladder, feeling it flex. He closed his eyes and said a quick prayer, crossing himself, then planted his foot on the bottom rung and pushed himself upwards.

Booth had never climbed a ladder as quickly as he did right then. He just wanted to get up to the top and crawl out onto the floor and away from the loose boards that had collapsed and sent him plummeting into the basement.

"Booth!" Brennan reached out for him and pulled him up off the ladder and away from the hole.

He looked behind him at the floorboards which looked brittle and splintered. He turned back and pulled Brennan into his arms. Booth squeezed her as tightly as he could "Oh Bones, I'm just glad you're OK" he said, then pulled back and looked around. They were standing in an old office building. There was wood panelling hanging off the walls. The dirty old vinyl floor tiles were chipped and lifting up in places. There were sections that were completely missing tiles, revealing old floor boards.

"I'm not sure this is such a good idea any more" Booth muttered, shaking his head.

"What do you mean?" Brennan said.

Booth's head snapped up and he looked at her, eyes wide, brown furrowed "Huh? What?" he said innocently.

"You said this wasn't a good idea? What idea?" she asked.

"Oh you must have misheard me. I was just thinking about having an idea. About, why we were given this lead. I was just thinking out loud." he said quickly, looking down at the floor.

A loud creaking sound grabbed their attention and they both turned around, staring at the doorway.

"Did you hear that Booth?" Brennan said, her voice wavering slightly.

"Yeah, just old timbers. It's probably nothing." he said bravely, linking his arm through hers. "Come on, we should have a look around. Do you have your flashlight?" he asked, pulling one from his jacket pocket. He flicked the switch, but nothing happened. "Damn. It must have broken when I fell"

Brennan turned on her flashlight and held it up, pointed at Booth's face, making him squint. "Mine's working fine" she said helpfully.

"Yes. I can see that. Do you mind?" Booth said, shielding his eyes with his hand.

"Oh, Sorry" Brennan said, lowering the light and pointing it towards the floor.

"Let's go this way" Booth said, leading the way towards the doorway at the end of the room.

"What exactly are we looking for Booth?" Brennan asked following him closely.

"Um. Clues. Leads. Evidence" he answered vaguely.

He opened the door which creaked loudly and echoed down the corridor beyond it. Poking his head around the corner, he looked left then right. "Bones, hand me that flashlight will you?" he asked.

He stepped out into the hallway and decided to go left. They walked slowly along the passage way, their footsteps echoing loudy. A growling noise made them both stop.

"Sorry. I'm hungry. I could use a bite to eat." Booth said rummaging in the pocket of his jacket and pulling out a pack of gum. He shrugged and popped a piece into his mouth and started chewing loudly.

Another loud bang made Brennan jump.

"Woah Bones. You're getting a little jumpy. It's not like this place is haunted or anything, right?" Booth said.

"Of course not." Brennan said, then added "It couldn't be, could it? Of course it couldn't." she shook her head.

Booth felt her grab at his arm. He smiled to himself.

"Come on Bones. You don't believe in that stuff. You've told me a million times." He said, pulling her along the corridor to a door at the end. He grabbed at the handle, and rattling it as he tried to turn it. "Locked"

"We should go back" Brennan said.

A deep moaning sound made them turn around. Then, the door behind them opened slowly, making Brennan spin around again, a gasp escaping her throat.

"Booth. I don't know what is going on, but I think we should leave. Right now" she said, her voice pitchy.

"Bones, the door handle was probably just stuck. I must have loosened it and that's why it opened." he said pushing the door completely open.

He glanced over at Brennan who's eyes were as wide as saucers. "You're not scared, are you?" he asked, his voice deepening to add a bit of drama.

Brennan flashed a glance at him "NO!" her voice way louder than it needed to be. "I mean, no. I just think that this is a waste of time." she said a bit too quickly.

"Let's go in, see if there's anything here" Booth said as he stepped through the doorway, shining his flashlight around the darkened room.

He turned around to find himself alone. He stepped outside the room, finding Brennan, her back pressed flat against the wall, one hand pressed to her chest.

"You OK Bones?" Booth asked.

"I'm fine. I think I'm just having an inexplicable emotional crisis, prompted by what I believe is a memory from my childhood, when my father took me to the local fair and sent me into the haunted house sideshow. I. I got lost inside it. And nobody came to get me. He left me in there." Words were tumbling out of Brennan.

Booth suddenly felt guilty. He shook his head from side to side, and called out loudly "Turn on the lights!"

Suddenly, the room they were standing outside of was filled with bright light.

Booth pulled Brennan away from the wall and turned her around to face the doorway. She looked up and saw that the room was full of every character she knew from horror movies. There were Halloween decorations strung around the room, and hanging from the ceiling. At second glance, she also noticed that her daughter Christine was there, grinning at her, wearing something that looked like it was straight out of the Walking Dead. "Happy Halloween Mommy! I'm a zombie!" she yelled.

"Happy Halloween Bones!" Booth said, a huge smile on his face.

Brennan didn't say anything at first. She just stood staring at everyone who was staring back at her with large grins, that were beginning to fade as they realised she was not responding in a positive way.

She turned and stared at Booth, then blinked slowly and said "I completely knew what was going on. I believe I had you thinking I was actually scared" her voice stilted. She stepped into the room and smiled "Very nicely done. Happy Halloween everyone" she said as brightly as she could muster. "I believe a drink might be in order?" she added.

Booth stared at her as she walked into the room and bent down to hug Christine.

 _Oh Yeah. You totally knew what was going on Bones_ he grinned widely, taking a step and cringing as his back twinged. _Damn it_ _I should have placed a thicker mattress on the floor under that hole. I'm gonna pay for that later_ he thought, rubbing at his back. The falling through the floor bit had been Hodgins' idea when they were planning this and had hired this old building, and he knew it was risky, but it added to the whole fear factor. Luckily it had worked out OK, and the look on her face was totally worth it.

"Best Halloween trick ever" he said to himself as he joined the party.


End file.
